Bus bar attachment for carbon nanotube heaters

Abstract

Disclosed is an attachment between a bus bar and a nano-carbon heater used for de-icing and/or anti-icing in an aircraft or other vehicle. The attachment between the bus bar and the heater is created through a coupling agent, a pre-preg glass fabric, and a conductive adhesive. This attachment allows for electrical connections to be made to the heater via the bus bar, and the attachment is strong enough to withstand stress from thermal cycles.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A heating assembly comprising:
 a metallic bus bar, wherein a portion of the bus bar includes perforated holes; 
 a coupling agent applied on the metallic bus bar 
 a nano-carbon heater; 
 a conductive adhesive that is thermal cycle resistant, wherein the conductive adhesive connects the metallic bus bar to the nano-carbon heater by chemically bonding with the coupling agent applied on the metallic bus bar; and 
 a pre-preg layer covering the heater and the metallic bus bar and adhesively bonded to the metallic bus bar with the conductive adhesive revealed through the perforated holes in the bus bar, wherein the pre-preg layer seals one or more edges of the bus. 
 
     
     
       2. The assembly of  claim 1  and further comprising at least one wire connected to the bus bar through one or more solder connections. 
     
     
       3. The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the nano-carbon heater is a carbon nanotube heater. 
     
     
       4. The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the nano-carbon heater is a graphene heater. 
     
     
       5. The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the nano-carbon heater is a graphene nanoribbon heater. 
     
     
       6. The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the pre-preg layer comprises a plurality of glass fibers. 
     
     
       7. A method of making a heating assembly, the method comprising:
 perforating a portion of a bus bar to form perforated holes in the bus bar; 
 treating the bus bar with a coupling agent; 
 applying a thermal cycle resistant conductive adhesive to the bus bar, wherein the coupling agent forms covalent bonds between the bus bar and the conductive adhesive; 
 attaching a nano-carbon heater to the bus bar with the conductive adhesive; 
 attaching a pre-preg glass fabric to the bus bar; and 
 curing the bus bar and heater such that the bus bar is attached to the pre-preg glass fabric and the conductive adhesive revealed through the perforated holes in the bus bar. 
 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 7 , and further comprising soldering wires onto the bus bar, wherein the wires extend through the pre-preg glass fabric. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 7 , wherein the pre-preg layer seals one or more edge of the bus bar. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 7 , wherein the coupling agent creates R—R f —Si—O-M bonds between the bus bar and the conductive adhesive, wherein R is a radical of the adhesive, R f  is a reactive functional group, and M is an atom of the bus bar. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 7 , wherein the pre-preg layer comprises a glass fiber fabric. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 7 , wherein the nano-carbon heater is a carbon nanotube heater. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 7 , wherein the nano-carbon heater is a graphene heater. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 7 , wherein the nano-carbon heater is a graphene nanoribbon heater.